Monday, September 4, 2017

The Book of Gold by Bob Staake - A Mom MondayReview



A Mom Monday Review:




Author: Bob Staake
Publication Date:  12 September, 2017
Publisher: Shwartz & Wade
Series:  Standalone
Genre:  Children's Picture Book
Age Recommendation: 5 and up
Rating: 5 Stars
~ I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~ 


Book Description:

Young Isaac Gutenberg isn't a curious boy . . . that is, until he meets an old shopkeeper who tells him about The Book of Gold. This special book, hidden somewhere in the world, holds all the answers to every question and turns to solid gold when opened.
Isaac is determined to find the book--it will make him rich! He opens many books in his search, but quickly closes them when they don't turn to gold. That changes one day when he opens a book, looks at the page, and a question pops into his mind. From then on, he reads every word.
Time passes and Isaac ages, but he still scours dusty attics and flea markets, crisscrossing the world, searching for The Book of Gold


My Review:

Oh My goodness you 'guys', this book!  It is going to be hard for me to tell you just how much I enjoyed this story.  The art is beautiful, it is active and engaging, it is muted yet vibrant.  I could happily simply stare at the pictures all day with out the words and still have an amazing story play out in my mind.  This is one of those books that you can go back to over and over again just to look at the art and find something new every time.  And the story....

Okay, imagine Pixar and their movie Up.  It has those vibes, it made my heart ache while still bringing me incredible joy.  Readers....this book, this CHILDREN"S PICTURE BOOK, gave me ALL the FEELS, ALL OF THEM!  It made me curious, it made me anxious, it made me want to weep for the passing of time, but laugh for the exhilaration of adventure, and shout for joy over discovery.  I closed the book and wished that I could go back in time and start over with the knowledge of this book and the desire to live my life as Issac Gutenberg did, full of adventure, learning, and life!  It is the reminder that reading can open the world to you, can take you places you may never have gone to (whether in actuality or just through words) with out books.  It is a reminder that there is more out there in the world than just games and toys (for adults or children, ha)...that you don't have to be bored or lonely, that you can open a book and discover amazing things.

I also loved that The Book of Gold promotes the use of our libraries and tempts us to find the hidden gems of small bookstores with their haphazard stuffed shelves and musty book smell...I swear I could smell it coming out of the pages of The Book of Gold and it sent me to a very happy place.

I don't think I could shout my love for this book quite enough and I try so very hard not to get exuberant in my reviews, but Book Nerds....EVERY ONE needs this picture book on their shelves.  It should become a classic because it is simply that beautiful of a tale.  While I encourage you to read a book in any format (besides pirated, please don't do that) I suggest that if you can you purchase this as a hard copy, you want to truly be able to enjoy the art and I don't believe you will be able to do that with an e-copy.  That said, if you can't purchase a hard copy or simply prefer e-books still get this book because it is so very worth it!


~ HAPPY READING ~ 



Bob Staake has authored and/or illustrated more than forty-two books, including The Red Lemon, a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year. His work has graced the cover of The New Yorker a dozen times, and his November 17, 2008 Barack Obama victory cover was named Best Magazine Cover of the Year by Time magazine. He lives on Cape Cod, in Massachusetts

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